Concert by Toma Enko, piano Vasilena Serafimova, marimba.
PROGRAM:
Vasilena Serafimova – “Mirrors”
Inspired by Trio Sonata for Organ No. 4 in E minor, BWV 528
Toma Enko – “Fire Dance”
Inspired by Cantata: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring, BWV 147
J. S. Bach – "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," BWV 147
J. S. Bach – Organ Trio Sonata No. 3 in D minor, BWV 527 – Finale
Vasilena Serafimova & Toma Enko – "Storm"
Inspired by Partita for solo violin No. 2, BWV 1004, Chaconne
J. S. Bach – Violin Sonata in A major, BWV 1015 – Allegro assai
Improvisations
Vasilena Serafimova & Toma Enko – Silence
Inspired by Suite for Solo Cello No. 4 in E-flat Major, BWV 1010 – Prelude
Vasilena Serafimova & Toma Enko – "Whirlwind"
Inspired by Partita for Solo Violin in B Minor, BWV 1002 – Double
J. S. Bach – "Aria" from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
Vasilena Serafimova & Toma Enko – "Reflections"
Inspired by The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 – Prelude No. 1, BWV 846
Vasilena Serafimova & Toma Enko – Avalanche
Inspired by The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 – Prelude No. 2, BWV 847
🎼 BACH MIRROR
The ticket price is 50 leva. Admission for children is free. Organizers: Cultural Perspectives Foundation
Today, Johann Sebastian Bach's music continues its journey through time and inspires new generations of musicians. Having blossomed during the Baroque era, Bach's genius is constantly being rediscovered. A striking example of this is BACH MIRROR, the second album by French pianist Thomas Enko and Bulgarian percussionist Vasilena Serafimova.
In this collection of 13 new pieces, the musicians approach the German composer's music with great freedom. Each piece is a new interpretation of his work – an explosion and a transformation. The first piece on the album, Avalanche, presents the well-known Prelude No. 2 from the first volume of The Well-Tempered Clavier, while Cantata (born from the aria Sheep May Safely Graze) is quite different from it, presenting a new, lesser-known image.
And Silence is not just a transcription: it seems to come from another world, close to the legacy of Satie and Debussy. And in Miroirs ("Mirrors") or Fire Dance, Vasilena and Toma have developed their own compositions inspired by Bach's music. From a single motif, harmony, or emotion, the two performers paint new pictures, where the round, warm sound of the marimba dances with the crystal timbre of the piano. For these versatile performers, Johann Sebastian Bach's music is not just polyphony and temperament: it is a rhythmic flow.
BACH MIRROR is an inspiring whirlwind! Toma and Vasilena play and frolic with Bach's music like two children jumping in a puddle—solely for the fun of watching the ever-changing reflection of the clouds and sky. And when everything suddenly stops, we, the listeners, find ourselves stunned on the edge of an abyss, far, far away from ordinary reverence – freedom and beauty have won us over completely.
🎼 TOMA ENKO AND VASILENA SERAFIMOVA
A remarkable percussionist and marimba player, Vasilena Serafimova was born in Bulgaria in 1985. Toma Enko was born in France three years later, a jazz pianist in search of freedom. Both were surrounded by music from an early age, growing up in families of musicians (Vasilena's parents are a percussionist and a music theorist, while Toma's parents were classical musicians before his mother remarried the famous jazz violinist Didier Lockwood). Each experimented with music in its various forms and styles: formal and popular, written and improvised.
Both began with the violin before discovering their instrument of choice. For him, it was the piano; for her, the marimba. Before settling in France, she traveled, honed her technique, did not go unnoticed, and won awards at the most prestigious European competitions in Munich and Stuttgart. He grew up listening to the greatest jazz musicians. From an early age, he became accustomed to the smoke and energetic atmosphere of clubs. He released his first album at the age of 16, before even beginning his international career. Two children of music, two traveling talents—performers and composers who met in 2009 for their first joint project. Since then, they have been performing together around the world, often presenting new works. In 2016, Deutsche Grammophon released their first duo album, Funambules, where interpretations of Mozart and Saint-Saëns meet their own compositions, combining musical tradition, precision, and innovation. In 2017, they won second prize at the International Chamber Music Competition in Osaka, Japan. Three years later, their second album, BACH MIRROR, cemented the strong chemistry between the two musicians.
